TALKING IT OVER. 105 



did not stand me very high, I said, just as a feeler like, 

 'I will take twenty-five.' 'Give you twenty,' says he, 

 as quick as a flash, and as I lifted one leg over the 

 other I remarked, 'Neighbor, you have traded/ 



"That was all there was to it. He handed me the 

 money, and after the horses were shifted in the stalls 

 and blankets changed we walked into the house, had a 

 drink and went to bed. George, pointing to the pro- 

 prietor of the house, was in the bar at the time. For 

 some reason or other I could not sleep. Thoughts of 

 that natty looking bay bothered me. I just itched to 

 have a drive behind him, and as I could see the moon 

 shining outside I made up my mind to do it, even if it 

 did look a little looney. 



"By that time it was near midnight, and when I 

 came down stairs the man was getting ready to close 

 the house. I told him that I had made up my mind 

 to drive over home and come back in the morning. 

 He stirred up the stableman, and in a few minutes I 

 was on the road. When I spoke to the bay horse I 

 saw he acted rather dull, but that did not surprise me. 

 As soon as I cleared the town I gave him a cut with 

 the whip and started on a five-mile drive at a rate that 

 would soon take me over the road. After passing 

 what I called the half-way house the new horse began 

 to lag. I gave him a cut with the whip, but it did not 

 seem to do him any good. The horse that he was 

 hooked with was a regular steam engine when it came 

 to reading, and he soon had the collar slipping up on 

 his neck. As soon as he did not offer to balk I had a 

 half idea that it was a case of staggers, and the clip 

 which I had driven him with a full stomach had a ten- 

 dency to bring it on. Pulling the team to a walk, I let 



